An amendment to the statute governing credit-time eligibility for people on home detention in criminal corrections programs is not retroactive, therefore, a defendant isn’t entitled to credit time under the amendment, the Indiana Court of Appeals concluded Wednesday.
The Indiana Supreme Court agreed with the lower appellate court that a man’s truck shouldn’t have been lost in a civil forfeiture action because the state didn’t prove any substantial connection between the truck and the commission of a crime.
Indiana Court of Appeals
Doe Corporation v. Lolita Honoré, as special administratrix of the estate of Andrea Honoré
49A05-1007-MI-408
Miscellaneous. Reverses grant of motion to dismiss Doe Corp.’s motion for a preliminary determination of law regarding the validity of an opinion of a medical review panel appointed in the medical malpractice action filed by Lolita Honoré. The trial court did possess subject matter jurisdiction over the issue as it involved a request for enforcement of the requirement that the medical review panel chair carry out his statutory duties. The trial court also erred by dismissing the motion for PDL on Trial Rule 12(B)(8) grounds. Remands for further proceedings.
Tyrone G. Postell v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1008-CR-914
Criminal. Affirms convictions of Class A felony criminal deviate conduct and Class C felony intimidation. Remands with instructions to set aside the conviction of and sentence for Class A misdemeanor criminal mischief.
Daniel Farris v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1009-CR-973
Criminal. Affirms conviction of Class A misdemeanor invasion of privacy.
Jon D. Holman v State of Indiana (NFP)
48A05-1008-CR-499
Criminal. Affirms sentence following guilty plea to Class B felony arson, two counts of Class C felony burglary, Class D felony unlawful possession of a syringe, Class D felony theft, and Class A infraction possession of paraphernalia.
Jesse Savage v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1002-CR-286
Criminal. Affirms convictions of and sentence for three counts of Class A felony child molesting and one count of Class C felony child molesting.
Andrew D. Patterson v. State of Indiana (NFP)
71A04-1009-CR-664
Criminal. Dismisses appeal because none of the issues raised are properly before the court.
Aubra Ferguson v. State of Indiana (NFP)
87A05-1008-PC-565
Post conviction. Affirms denial of petition for post-conviction relief.
Alton Moss v. State of Indiana (NFP)
27A05-1005-CR-310
Criminal. Affirms convictions of murder and Class B felony burglary.
Gary M. Kincade v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1009-CR-978
Criminal. Affirms conviction of Class A misdemeanor battery.
Term. of Parent-Child Rel. of J.C., et al.; C.C. v. I.D.C.S. (NFP)
49A02-1008-JT-1018
Juvenile. Affirms involuntary termination of parental rights.
Bradley Laycock v. State of Indiana (NFP)
84A04-1009-CR-593
Criminal. Affirms order sentencing Laycock to eight years in the Department of Correction following his guilty plea to Class B felony neglect of a dependent.
Jerome Taylor v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A05-1009-CR-551
Criminal. Affirms revocation of placement in community corrections work release program and order that Taylor serve the balance of his sentence in the Department of Correction.
Steven L. Fortner v. Janet M. Fortner (NFP)
67A01-1011-DR-564
Domestic relation. Affirms order following remand in all respects except that the appellate court remands for findings based upon and satisfying the requirements of the child support worksheet. Judge Friedlander concurs in part and dissents in part.
Jacqueline Gaff v. State of Indiana (NFP)
02A03-1007-CR-417
Criminal. Affirms conviction of Class D felony possession of a controlled substance.
Indiana Tax Court had posted no opinions at IL deadline.
The Indiana Supreme Court denied transfer to nine cases for the week ending April 22.
Indiana Supreme Court
Martin Serrano v. State of Indiana and the City of Fort Wayne
02S03-1104-CV-241
Civil. Reverses trial court judgment in favor of the state allowing for the forfeiture of Serrano’s truck. The state concluded he used the truck to transport or facilitate the transportation of a controlled substance for purposes of committing a drug-related offense. There was insufficient evidence to establish by a preponderance that Serrano’s drug possession at the time he was arrested was furthered by the use of his truck or that his truck was used for the purpose of possessing cocaine.
Marion Superior Judge David Dreyer has ruled that Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels doesn’t have to testify about his involvement in the cancelled multi-million dollar IBM contract to modernize the state’s welfare system.
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed a finding by the Family and Social Services Administration that an elderly woman was not entitled to Medicaid nursing home benefits in the eight months after she gave $35,500 to her nephew and his wife.
Melissa Miller v. Crossroads Rehabilitation Center, Inc. and John Gocke
Indiana Supreme Court had posted no opinions at IL deadline.
Indiana Court of Appeals
Wachovia Financial Services, Inc. v. Dune Harbor, LLC, et al.
64A03-1008-MF-415
Mortgage foreclosure. Reverses summary judgment order that a vendor lien was created in favor of and in force for Lefty’s Co-Ho Landing when Wachovia recorded its mortgages, stating that a genuine issue of material fact remains as to whether the lien, if created, was in force. Remands for further proceedings.
Michael D. Bennett v. State of Indiana (NFP)
33A04-1010-CR-658
Criminal. Affirms sentences for Class D felony resisting law enforcement and Class A misdemeanor driving while suspended.
Term. of Parent-Child Rel. of D.W., et al.; A.W. v. I.D.C.S. (NFP)
49A02-1009-JT-1076
Juvenile. Affirms termination of parental rights.
Antonio Dallas Jenkins v. State of Indiana (NFP)
68A01-1008-CR-417
Criminal. Affirms conviction of and sentence for Class B felony dealing in a Schedule III controlled substance.
Timothy Robertson v. State of Indiana (NFP)
27A02-1008-CR-928
Criminal. Affirms order revoking probation and ordering that Timothy Robertson serve two years of his previously suspended sentence.
Earl Wilson v. State of Indiana (NFP)
45A03-1006-PC-305
Post conviction relief petition. Affirms denial of petition for post-conviction relief.
Lyle Tucker v. State of Indiana (NFP)
60A01-1010-CR-569
Criminal. Dismisses as moot Lyle Tucker’s appeal, as Tucker has already served the executed portion of his sentence.
Anthony Scott v. Saundra L. Walden (NFP)
29A05-1004-PL-250
Civil plenary. Affirms order dividing property between Anthony Scott and Saundra Walden and denies Walden’s request for appellate attorney fees.
Jeremiah Farmer v. State of Indiana (NFP)
45A03-1005-CR-231
Criminal. Affirms aggregate 20-year sentence for one count of Class B felony robbery and one count of Class B felony burglary.
Marvin Smith v. State of Indiana (NFP)
71A03-1007-CR-371
Criminal. Affirms sentence for Class D felony battery to a law enforcement officer.
Matter of the Supervised Estate of Mary Mikels (NFP)
36A05-1006-ES-429
Estate, supervised. Affirms order authorizing Jackson County Bank, the personal representative of the estate of Mary Mikels, to sell real property, pay claims, and close the estate.
Walter Wayne Bowles v. Terri E. Bowles (NFP)
30A01-1012-DR-620
Domestic relation. Reverses trial court’s order granting wife’s motion to correct error.
Company v. K.S. and Review Board (NFP)
93A02-1011-EX-1205
Civil. Affirms decision of Department of Workforce Development’s Unemployment Insurance Review Board to reinstate unemployment insurance benefits.
Michael P. Heffern v. State of Indiana (NFP)
38A05-1007-CR-462
Criminal. Affirms convictions of felony murder and Class B felony robbery.
Andrew Peters v. State of Indiana (NFP)
15A01-1011-CR-621
Criminal. Affirms order revoking probation and ordering that Andrew Peters serve the remainder of his previously suspended sentence.
Alisha Gentry v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1007-CR-814
Criminal. Affirms conviction of Class A misdemeanor prostitution.
Term. of Parent-Child Rel. of C.H., et al.; S.H., et al. v. I.D.C.S. (NFP)
45A03-1009-JT-480
Juvenile. Affirms termination of parental rights.
David Griffin v. State of Indiana (NFP)
73A05-1006-CR-438
Criminal. Affirms trial court’s decision to admit into evidence David Griffin’s statement to police. Vacates theft conviction on double jeopardy grounds and remands to trial court to enter judgment accordingly.
Stephanie Henry v. James Henry (NFP)
28A05-1010-DR-696
Domestic relations. Affirms trial court’s award of custody of the children to maternal grandparents.
Christopher Conwell v. State of Indiana (NFP)
49A02-1008-CR-861
Criminal. Affirms trial court’s admission into evidence of post-arrest statement.
Myron Bernard James v. State of Indiana (NFP)
79A02-1007-CR-830
Criminal. Affirms in absentia sentencing.
Indiana Tax Court had posted no opinions at IL deadline.
Indiana Court of Appeals
Wachovia Financial Services, Inc. v. Dune Harbor, LLC, et al.
64A03-1008-MF-415
Mortgage foreclosure. Reverses summary judgment order that a vendor lien was created in favor of and in force for Lefty’s Co-Ho Landing when Wachovia recorded its mortgages, stating that a genuine issue of material fact remains as to whether the lien, if created, was in force. Remands for further proceedings.
The Domestic Relations Committee and Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee of the Judicial Conference of Indiana have developed proposed parenting coordination rules and commentary. Parenting coordinators are used to help resolve disputes between parents regarding children. Currently, there are no existing Indiana Supreme Court rules covering the area.
Former Vice President Dan Quayle and his wife, Marilyn, have created a scholarship for students at Indiana University School of Law-Indianapolis through an endowed gift of $200,000. The Quayles both earned their law degrees from the school in 1974.
Indiana Lawyer takes an in-depth look at the death penalty in the "Cost of Justice" series.
The Indianapolis Bar Association’s Ask a Lawyer program, held Tuesday, April 12, 2011, at libraries across Marion county, provided over 440 members of the public with free face-to-face legal advice from certified attorneys who generously volunteered their time.
Hopefully, you have seen the promotional material about the Bench Bar conference coming up June 16 to 18 in French Lick. What started about 20 years ago as a noble experiment has morphed into a first class educational event.
U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Walton Pratt and Indiana Supreme Court Justice Frank Sullivan were recently appointed to co-chair an Indianapolis Bar Association task force to address diversity within the Indianapolis legal community.
In a time when so many are working to set themselves apart from the masses in the profession of law, the IndyBar’s Bar Leader Series is a “must have.
The Indianapolis Bar Foundation has reorganized its grant making activity with the intent to provide greater impact with its dollars.
Stephen R. Pennell, former president of DTCI and partner in the Lafayette firm of Stuart & Branigin, received the President’s Award for Outstanding Service to the ADTA at the Association of Defense Trial Attorneys’ annual meeting in Hawaii.
The Indiana Supreme Court recently held that a plaintiff’s fault in initially causing an accident may be considered in a crashworthiness case against the car manufacturer.